Adjustable electric receptacle



July 7 1931. s, HOWK, 1,812,956

ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC RECEPTACLE Filed July 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I0 WWW 1B ing 40 ture.

45 baseboard and novel means Patented July 7,1931

UNITED sr TEs PATENT OFFICE SYLVESTER If, HOWK, SAN ANTONIO, TEXASAIIJJ'US'JA.BLE ELECTRIC RECEPTAGLE Application: filed July 25,

The present invention relates to improvements in the art of electricalconductors andthe same has specific reference'to a novel mountingfor-electric receptacles wherein the 5 receptacle is capable of beingmoved to remote points to accommodate electrical appliances without thenecessity of employing conductor cords of considerable length.

The invention is also embodied in the combination with a metallicbaseboard structure which customarily forms the lower portions of wallsin lieuof the present board which is susceptible to quick damage.

The invention briefly consists in provida hollow baseboard structurewherein a current conductivevtrack is arranged, the front wall of thebaseboard structure being formed with the longitudinally extending slotto permit a collector operab e on the track 90 to project through thesaid slot whereby connection may be appliances:

The prime object of the invention resides in the provision of acombination baseboard and electrical receptacle mounting wherein thereceptacle may be adjusted to any point on the walls-of a. room toaccommodateelectrical appliances rather than to encumber the hadtherefrom to electrical appearance of the room by the employment.

of elongated conductor cords.

Another important object of the invention is accomplished by reason ofthe novel structural details involved in the baseboard constructionwherein the conductor track will be guarded against accidental contactby a person and which will further present a durable and neat appearingstructure far more appreciable than a conventional struc- Otherimportant objects of the invention reside in the means whereby thereceptacle unit may be attached to the collector, brace means betweenthe front and rear wallsof the for mounting the 1m. serial no. 295,312.

- collector for movement on the conductor track. I a

In the drawings:

Figure 1 frag'mentarily represents the side wall of the room providedwith the novel baseboard stru'cture, and further showing anelectricflreoeptacle properly mounted in association therewith,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through a portion oft-he wallconstruction and transversely through the novel baseboard show- In theparticular manner of mounting the cofiector within the baseboard,

Figure'3 is an enlarged front side elevation of the collector,

Figure 4 is an enlarged rear side elevation of the collector, and

F i re 5 is an enlar d fragmenta tion view through t e collector anelectric receptacle connected therewith.

Referrin to the drawings wherein like numerals esignate like parts theconventional wall construction consists of studding secthe

A against which the usual metallic lathing B is secured.

As is customary in the construction of walls, the lower edge of thelathing Bterminates at a point upwardly from the flooring C to permitspace for the disposition of a baseboard.

In the present invention the baseboard includes a rear wall 1 providedwith an 0utwardly'disposed flange 2 at its upper edge.

This flange is preferably curved transversely and bent downwardl atitsouter edge This curvature of the ange 2 serves to assist the lathingB in supporting the plaster lied thereto.

D a p Tl 1e lower longitudinal edge portion of the rear wall is alsodisposed outwardly and against the flooring B in the manner clearlyshown in Figure 2. The longitudinal intermediate portionof the rear wallis disposed outwardly to provide upper and lower shoulders 4 and 5respectively channels in which insulating material 7 is deposited. It isto be understood that the rear wall as well as the front wall which willbe fully described hereinafter mayvextend continuously on the walls of aroom or may on the other hand extend for predetermined stretches, whichin each case, is a matter of choice and has no efiect on the scope ofthe present invention.

Elongated strips of current conducting material 8 are anchored at one oftheir longitudinal edge portions within the insulating deposit 7. Inthis manner the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip 8 projectbeyond the shoulders 4 and 5 respectively.

The front wall of the baseboard structure consists of an upper and alower section 9 and 10 respectively. The lower edge portion of the lowersection 10 is provided with a which overlaps the lower flange of therear wall 1 at its edge portion. The brace member .12 is interposedbetween the rear wall 1 and the upper section 9 of the front wall atsuitable spaced intervals throughout their length.

The brace 12 is preferably connected permanently to the rear wall as at13, while a set screw 14 permits the detachable connection of the uppersection 9 to the outer end of the brace. The upper edge portion of thesection 9 is curved for snug engagement with the curved edge portion ofthe rear wall By so mounting the upper section, the lower edge thereofwill be spaced vertically on the upper edge of the lower section 10. Thelower section 10 is also connected to the rear wall 1 by a brace 15,which brace is permanently connected to the rear wall at 16, while a setscrew 17 permits the detachable connection of the lower section 10 tothe outer end of the brace. Nails 18 may be driven through therespective walls at suitable points maintaining the same in contact withthe studding A and the flooring C.

The current collector consists in the construction of an elongated block19 of insulating material formed at'its front side with a protuberance20 adapted to project between the opposing edges of the respective upperand lower sections. Each end of the block 19 is provided with arearwardly-projecting pintle 21 on which a grooved roller 22 is mounted.These rollers 22 are adapted to engage the conductor strip 8'in themanner clearly shown in Figure 2 for sup-porting the block 19 in asubstantially vertical position. Positive and negative conductor members23'-23 project beyond the front face of the protuberance 20 and are eachconnected to the pintles 21 by conductors,24 trained through bores inthe block 19.

A nut 25 is anchored within an; protuberinsulated body ance 20 betweenthe conductor strip 23--23 and a bore 26 registers with the threadedopenin therein.

An'e ectric receptacle forming part of the present invention consists inthe construction of a knob of insulating material 27 formed centrallywith a bore 28 therethrough and being reduced toward one end, whereby ascrew 29 may beinserted therethrough and engaged with the anchored nut25 within the collector 19 for tightly securing the knob 27 thereto.

The knob 27 is also tact clips31 are arranged. The inner side of theknob 27 is formed with suitable openings to permit the insertion of theprojecting end portions of the conductor strips 23-23 in the mannershown in Figure 5.

Set screws 32-32 are threaded inwardly on the knob 27 from diametricallyopposite points thereof for connecting the strip 23-23 with the clip 31,

. It will thus be seen that the collector and receptacle may be shiftedto the desired point within the room and adjacent to the appliance to beenergized. The short cord may be employed for connecting the receptacleto the appliance instead of the customarily long unsightly cord whichhas a very displeasing eifect on room.

It is also to beunderstood that certain changes in the specific shape,size and materials employed in the construction of this invention may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of of the appended claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1 An electrical outlet comprising an elongated housing, said elongatedhousing including a front and rear section, said front section beingprovided with a slot means for detachably connecting said rear section.said rear section being deformed to provide a longitudinal trough, an-

and a longitudinally extending =conductor track mounted upon the body,and a current collector movable in the slot section to ride on the saidconductor.

the decorative appearance of the the front section to on the 'frontformed witha pair of spaced openings 30-30 in which spring contheinvention or the scope disposed within the trough,

2. An electrical outlet comprising an elon- I gated housing, saidelongated housing including a front and rear section,'said front sectionbeing provided with a slot means for detachably connecting the frontsection to said. rear' section, said rear section being formed toprovide a longitudinal trough, an

insulated body disposed within the trough, and a longitudinallyextending conductor track mounted upon the body, and having a portionthereof anchored in said body, and a current collector movable in theslot on the front section to ride on the said conductor. 3. Anelectrical outlet comprising an elonsection, said rear section ature.SYLVESTER F. H

elongated housing including i

